June 19, 2008
Dear UNM Community:
With each of us doing all we can to save energy, UNM’s Lobo Energy Corporation has retained a team of “Energy Conservation Educators” to work with Deans and Department Chairs to implement a summer savings effort that will involve students, faculty, and staff alike.
Summer presents great opportunities for achieving significant savings, and we’ve told Lobo Energy’s Educators to leave no stone unturned. They’re reducing operation of daily cooling systems, making sure vacancies at Residential Life are set for maximum energy saving and doing everything they can to squeeze every bit of energy waste out of the system.
You may notice some minor temperature changes in classrooms, offices and dorms, but hopefully nothing too unusual. Our goal is to achieve our energy conservation goal without creating discomfort or compromising the learning environment. In particular, I’ve instructed that great care be taken to accommodate those whose buildings are served by older, less responsive heating and cooling systems.
As with our four-day-workweek option, we’re receiving a lot of support for these initiatives, in part because we’re setting the stage for a more sustainable future and largely because we’re conserving precious financial resources, as well – and protecting the financial health of this University in the process.
We’ve got to remind everyone – faculty, staff, students and administrators alike – of the importance of energy conservation. Even things as small as remembering to turn off unused lights, computers and appliances can make a big difference, especially when thousands of us are all doing our part.
Our “Energy Conservation Educators” will work closely with UNM building maintenance staff to ensure that new energy conservation guidelines won’t unduly inconvenience anyone, but we’ll need your support for these initiatives, especially during the difficult summer transition, in order to give the program the credibility and momentum it’ll need this fall.
I’m solidly behind these changes, and I hope I can count on your support as well. I believe your encouragement will be critical if we’re going to help the whole UNM community adjust.
With your continued help and cooperation, we expect to exceed the energy savings goals set for this program. Please contact me or Mary Vosevich, Director of the Physical Plant Department, with any questions, comments or problems you might encounter as the Energy Conservation Program moves forward.
With kind regards,
David J. Schmidly, President